However, although Shin had already used his Kotoamatsukami to control the other members of the Donquixote family when it was Doflamingo's turn, he encountered a problem.
When Shin attempted to exert control, Doflamingo suddenly exuded a powerful aura that resisted the mental imprint Shin had placed on him. Under the pressure of that aura, the genjutsu began to waver.
Shin estimated that within a day or two, his mental influence would no longer be effective in controlling Doflamingo.
"Conqueror's Haki—who would've thought even my enhanced jutsu would be resisted," Shin muttered with a slight frown.
It wasn't impossible to subdue Doflamingo. If Shin was willing to invest considerable time and reinforce his genjutsu, he could eventually control Doflamingo despite his intense spirit.
However, spending that amount of time on Doflamingo wasn't exactly Shin's idea of a good investment, and it wasn't as if Doflamingo was a beauty.
"Well, no need to control Doflamingo then," Shin said, letting go of the unconscious man. "Seems like today's not your lucky day."
Shin activated his secret jutsu, 'Human Path: Soul Extraction,' with a light touch.
Doflamingo's eyes rolled back, and he began to twitch as foam gathered at his mouth.
Simultaneously, Shin accessed Doflamingo's memories, sifting through them and storing important details in his internal database.
Once Shin let go, Doflamingo slumped to the ground, mouth slack, and his eyes unfocused, as though he'd been utterly drained.
People subjected to this jutsu often suffered severe brain damage, ending in death.
To ensure survival, Shin employed medical jutsu to sustain Doflamingo's essential functions, reducing him to a mere vegetative state.
This choice was both efficient and pragmatic. Not only did it prevent complications from the life paper linked to Doflamingo's existence, but it also left Shin with the option of repurposing him for future use.
As part of this, Shin duplicated an electronic chip and carefully installed it into Doflamingo's brain.
Under typical circumstances, the chip only acted as a support. But with Doflamingo now brain-dead, the chip, embedded with the Red Queen subroutine, assumed complete control.
"Red Queen, status update?" Shin asked, observing the "new" Doflamingo before him.
Doflamingo's movements were sluggish initially, but the chip's adaptability allowed it to quickly adjust to his body. Soon, he was standing with familiar poise, his eyes sharp.
"Fufufufu! This body is quite functional," came the eerie laugh, his voice, and mannerisms identical to the original. The Red Queen had inherited all of Doflamingo's memories, after all.
Testing his abilities, Doflamingo extended a hand, producing a thin thread that sliced cleanly through a nearby rock.
But a frown creased Doflamingo's face. "While I can still use my devil fruit ability, my armament haki is greatly weakened, and both my observation and Conqueror's haki have vanished entirely."
This was to be expected. The source of haki is human willpower—spirit and ambition—all of which the Red Queen, as an AI, inherently lacked.
The chip allowed rudimentary armament haki to be utilized due to Doflamingo's physically honed body and training. However, the subtler haki types, especially those tied deeply to one's spirit, were simply inaccessible.
Without Observation and Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo's abilities had undeniably weakened, something Shin noted with a sigh.
Domineering abilities played a central role in battles within this world, and while the physical body could be improved, haki mastery allowed limitless potential. The various applications of haki outstripped the benefits gained through purely physical training.
Shin considered this shortfall as he pondered enhancements for the new Doflamingo. As an expert in body enhancements, he could improve Doflamingo's physique. Periodic training afterward would unlock even more potential.
While Conqueror's haki would remain unattainable, Shin could enhance Doflamingo's sensory abilities by incorporating the heightened perception of the Uzumaki Clan, which would partially compensate for the absence of Observation Haki.
As for the missing Conqueror's Haki, it wasn't crucial for Doflamingo's role. Shin intended him to be in a leadership position rather than fighting like a brute.
After a few moments of extreme modification, Shin stepped back to evaluate his handiwork. Now, the Red Queen-controlled Doflamingo seemed as strong as his original counterpart.
In addition, Shin subdued the remaining loyalists within the Donquixote family. Exceptions were made for a particularly unpleasant Sticky-Sticky fruit user, whom Shin disposed of, and a Stone-Stone Fruit user, who was only half intact.
Essentially, the entire Donquixote family was now under Shin's control.
His next move was to secure the loyalty of the remaining key figures. Two individuals stood out: Sugar, who possessed the extraordinarily rare and dangerous Hobby-Hobby fruit, and Violet, the former princess of Dressrosa.
Sugar, especially, intrigued Shin. Her devil fruit ability, one of the most potent and unique, warranted special attention.
As fate would have it, Shin's search wouldn't be difficult. Sugar was already planning her move.
Returning to Dressrosa's capital, Shin noted several small toys observing him from hidden corners.
To avoid suspicion, Shin had stored his new subordinates within the dark dimension so these toys wouldn't be able to report their status to any higher authorities just yet.
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Chapter 228: The Forgotten Rival is now available.